Help STOP a hydroelectric scheme dewatering the most stunning & unique river gorge in NZ!

Submission link (important!): while we would appreciate your signature to this petition, what would be much MORE effective is to also make a personalized submission against this project - to do so, click on this link below, information is contained with suggestions for content on your submission. Many thanks for your help!!!

Even though we are swamped with power generation here in New Zealand, Maggie Barry, Minister for Conservation has approved in principle a concession for a hydro scheme to be built in the conservation estate on the amazing wild Waitaha River deep in the rugged West Coast bush.

Electricity industry experts say there is no need for this scheme - we simply don't need any more power generation in New Zealand. But Westpower, who are proposing the scheme, believe the scheme will make them money, only because the water and environmental destruction on public land comes more or less for free.

If local generation was required on the West Coast there are a number of other hydro projects that are already fully consented and waiting to be built. And those schemes won’t suck the water out of our wild rivers and run a bulldozer through virgin native bush.

This is crazy! If we don't need extra power generation, then why ruin this unique and beautiful wild river?

The Waitaha is one of the less than 1% of rivers remaining in the world that is not modified, so let’s look after our future and not repeat the mistakes of the past.

The Department of Conservation is now seeking submissions so this is your opportunity to tell Maggie Barry to use some common sense and avoid this needless destruction of the pristine wilderness that kiwis are so proud of.